Historical Context “Belfast Confetti” is set in Troubles-era Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Troubles was a conflict in Northern Ireland that ran from 1968 to 1998, but it had roots stretching back hundreds of years. The Troubles was a battle over the identity and status of Northern Ireland.
Where does the term Belfast Confetti come from?
The poem won the Irish Times Irish Literature Prize for Poetry. The name of the poem derives from the nickname for the large shipbuilding rivets and other scrap metal that were used as missiles by Protestant shipyard workers during anti-Catholic riots in Belfast.
What war is Belfast Confetti about?
These work on a literal level – they describe where he lives and how well he knows these streets. They also work as metaphors . The streets are named after generals, battles and places from the Crimean War – a conflict between Britain and Russia in Victorian times.
How is the title of Belfast Confetti ironic?
Belfast confetti refers to the wage metal fragments from Belfast’s shipyards, already in sever decline by 1990. The ironic use of ‘confetti’ could suggest the uncomfortable marriage of the Protestant and Catholic residents. The phrase refers to the bomb’s shrapnel which Carson pictures as punctuation.
What poem can you compare Belfast Confetti to?
If you were to compare Belfast Confetti with The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost for example, you could use some of the following points: Both poems reflect the poets’ background and are anchored in place.
What is the structure of the poem Belfast Confetti?
Instead of neat, compact stanzas , the lines are long and the stanzas stretched. On closer inspection, you can see there are two stanzas. The first stanza has five lines, the second has four. However, each line spills over so there are additional lines of one, two or three words.
What does confetti symbolize?
Confetti is the Italian word for sweets, in medieval Italy wedding guests would throw sugared almond sweets over the bride and groom, as they symbolised fertility and prosperity. Over the years this possibly painful tradition evolved into paper and flower petal alternatives!
Why does Belfast Confetti use punctuation?
The poem ‘Belfast Confetti,’ one of the best-known poems of Ciaran Carson, pulls the reader into the aftermath of Belfast’s sectarian riot. He has used punctuation to symbolize missiles that Protestants used during this riot, which was against the Catholic crowd in Belfast.
What is the message of Belfast?
The film offers respect to the millions of people who have been and still are displaced from their own homes due to political and social turmoil, particularly to the ones directly affected by the Northern Ireland Conflict.
Why was Belfast a target for bombing?
Background. As the UK was preparing for the conflict, the factories and shipyards of Belfast were gearing up. Belfast made a considerable contribution towards the Allied war effort, producing many naval ships, aircraft and munitions; therefore, the city was deemed a suitable bombing target by the Luftwaffe.
What does the big ball in Belfast represent?
The globe-shaped, white and silver steel sculpture is a representation of a new sun rising to celebrate a new chapter in the history of Belfast.
Was Belfast about the IRA?
The Belfast Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was formed in March 1921 during the Irish War of Independence, when the IRA was re-organised by its leadership in Dublin into Divisions and Joe McKelvey was appointed commander of the Third Northern Division, responsible for Belfast and the surrounding area.
What is the story behind Belfast?
The true story behind Belfast’s opening scene is the August 1969 riots. The riots began on August 12 in Derry, as protesters campaigning for greater rights for Irish-Catholics clashed with Protestant groups and the largely Protestant police force. The chaos soon spread to Belfast and other Northern Irish cities.
What were the riots in Belfast about?
The bloodiest clashes were in Belfast, where seven people were killed and hundreds wounded, five of them Catholic civilians shot by police. Protesters clashed with both the police and with loyalists, who attacked Catholic districts.
| 1969 Northern Ireland riots | |
|---|---|
| Methods | Demonstrations, rioting, house burnings, gun battles |
What poem could you compare exposure to?
Try comparing Exposure to these other poems: Remains by Simon Armitage. Anthem For Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen.
Who wrote Belfast Confetti?
Ciaran Carson is a poet and novelist from Belfast. Born in 1948, he grew up speaking Irish as his first language. He picked up English words playing out on the streets with friends.
What poetry is associated with Ireland?
Bardic poetry
Irish bards formed a professional hereditary caste of highly trained, learned poets. The bards were steeped in the history and traditions of clan and country, as well as in the technical requirements of a verse technique that was syllabic and used assonance, half rhyme and alliteration.
What does the metaphor Scattery as petals mean?
By comparing her to something that natural, we get the impression she might be wild and untamed. Scattery as petals This tells us that Sally is delicate. She is unpredictable and a bit chaotic. She is hard to control.
What do the petals and the boughs represent?
‘Petals on a wet, black bough’ is the phrase which vividly shows the elegance of life and meanwhile show the impermanence of human life. Petals are found in nature in various vibrant colors which represents different human faces and the petals that lie in the wet, black bough symbolizes the transitory ness of life.
How did confetti originate?
The tradition may have had its origins in ancient Rome, where wheat cakes were crumbled over the bride’s head. Confetti were tossed at weddings in England, France, and other countries but were especially popular in Italy.
What is the meaning of 5 confetti?
The amount of the confetti, that you gift to someone also has a meaning: 5 confetti symbolize fertility, long life, health, wealth and happiness, 3 confetti are meant for a couple and a baby, 1 confetto means the uniqueness of event.